Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-03-28
SHE FOUGHT FOR HER LIFE.
brutal Murder OF an Unknown Woman at
Railway. N. IA Desperate struggle
ON Desolate Spot-Nothing known of
Her Assailant or HIS Motive.
RAILWAY, March 2f

~, RAILWAY, March 26.
Inc brutal murder of young and unknown
woman caused the most intense excitement
hefe today. The body was found early this
morning near the Junction of Central and Jef.
..rSon avenues, on the western outskirts O,
.he cry, by Alfred Worth. The scene of the
murder .aa is bleak and desolate place. Ahont
loo yards further on Central avenue ends in
au open neid. The body lay at the side of
tue roau win the head resting against the
80 poS'. Inc woman was apparently of
aom 'srnts 10 twenty hve years of age, Her
throat nao oeen cut from ear to ear. and
pool of blood three inches deep wa, at The
base of the skull. The murderer had eyi.
dently struck her first a terrible blow with !.
sharp pointed and keen edged knife. which
penetrated the left side of the throat and en-
tered the mouth. The next blow was struck
with such force that the knife was driven
malt way through the woman's neck, and the
weapon was then pulled toward her right ear,
thus cutting her head nearly half off. There
were also on the chin two long cuts which
penetrated 10 the bone. The dress of the
oead woman was of dark brown cloth. Neat
nttlng shoes encased the feet. Light coiored
KID gloves were upon the hands, one Z, which
was cut where it had been struck by the knife
While the poor woman was defending her lite
The entire right side of the face was bruised
and discolored from heavy blows Near the
body was small, black straw turb,n hat
with red ribbons; a black wrap, which was
torn almost to shreds, and a small willow
basket. The basket contained nine fresh laid
eggs and had been overturned. Near the body
the soft ground was torn W and trampled,
showing that the woman had make a most
desperate struggle for her life. The news
spread rapidly in all parts of the city, and
hundreds of persons visited the scene of the
murder. William Wilson, the district attor
ney for Union county, came here and took
charge of the case He refused to allow the
reporters to examine the clothing of the dead
woman. Six hundred yards east of the scene
of the murder. Central avenue crosses the
little creek known as Robinson's branch of
the Railway river. Near the bridge Police
Officer Conger saw dark object floating in
the water. He fshed it out. and it proved to
be bla hand satchel filled with dresses
and underclothing, which, undoubtedly, be-
longed to the murdered woman The body
was removed to the undertaking establish
ment of Marsh & Ryno, where the clothing
was removed. The body was terribly bruised
about the arms and breast Some of the
black and blue spots were, at the least, four
inches square. The arms were twisted into
unnatural positions, as if the poor woman
had been held when the last blow was struck.
The woman is a stranger here. The knife
which the murderer used was found in field
about sixty feet from the body, where it had
been hurled by the woman's asssilant. 1t is
cheap, shell-handled weapon with two
blades. 1t was open, and one of the blades,
which was about three inches long, was COW
cred with dried blood. post mortem ex-
animation was made but the physicians re-
fused in the most positive terms to tell the
result 1t was ascertained, however, that the
dead woman had not been criminally assault
ed. The inquest will be held Monday, when
the physicians who held the examination to.
day will give their testimony. Up to seven
o'clock there was no clue as to the identity
OF the murdered woman or her murderer.
The case is one of the most horrible murder
mysteries that has occurred in New Jersey
for years.